About Dal Porto RanchMeet Steve and Carol Dal Porto

For 35 years, Dal Porto Ranch has been offering youth and adult riding lessons, day camps, halter and performance training to the East Bay communities of Brentwood, Oakley, Livermore, Antioch, Discovery Bay, Clayton, Pleasanton and Tracy.

Our stallion services and breeding programs reach much further than northern California as those services are offered to the entire United States. We look forward to offering our services for many years to come.

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Dal Porto Ranch

Owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Steve and Carol Dal Porto, the ranch sits on 25 irrigated acres in beautiful Brentwood California. It's a convenient and easy drive for anyone in the San Francisco area.

Outdoor arena

Covered riding arena for year-round comfort

Viewing deck for watching lessons

Irrigated pastures for mares and foals

Nationally recognized riding lesson program

World renowned horse training and horse breeding programs

Stallion services to World and National Champion sires

Ready to help you on your journey

Whether you are starting riding lessons, wanting to show in the halter arena or looking for stallion services, Steve and Carol Dal Porto have developed nationally acclaimed horse training and breeding programs.

You'll be treated like family

They consider their customers to be family and as such, will be there for you every step of the way until you find success.

Family oriented

Well-trained gentle lesson horses

Professional riding instruction

Quality care by trained experts

Steve Dal PortoHalter Training and Breeding programs

Growing up on the Dal Porto family ranch where they raised Black Angus cattle, Steve always felt the best part of working cattle was that you got to ride your horse. He attended University of Colorado where he played football (also 2 bowl games) and received his BA in Business with an emphasis in Marketing and Advertising.

While in Colorado, he visited several top Appaloosa Breeders who influenced Steve's future, including renowned breeder, Hank Weiscamp. Steve quickly became a fan of the Appaloosa breed and when he returned to the family ranch after graduation, he began the Dal Porto Ranch Horse program.

Uniquely Experienced

His combined experiences give him unique skills and knowledge to incorporate in the development of a highly successful Show horse training program. Throughout the years, he has shown hundreds of National and World Champion Halter Horses.

Award winning

Awarded the coveted Appaloosa Horse Club Trainer of the year, Steve is dedicated to improving the Appaloosa breed. He has promoted Leading sire and Appaloosa Horse Club Hall of fame inductee Maids Dream and also promoted 3 stallions who were inducted into the Cal Western Hall of fame. To date, over 400 National and World Champions have been made at Dal Porto Ranch.

Carol Dal PortoHorse trainer, horseback riding instructor and coach

Born a horse crazy girl, Carol spent hours riding bareback in the hills of the McDonald Forest in exchange for promising her mom to do chores and clean her room. Her first horse was an Appaloosa and while she took lessons in Western, Dressage and English, her love for the Appaloosa has stayed with her throughout her career.

From an early age

She began showing at the age of 9, competing at local shows and eventually moved on to national competitions winning her first National Championship showing in the open division at age 18. She has competed and won National & World Championships in Western Pleasure, Trail and Western Riding.

Carol moved to California and after marrying Steve (who shares her love for the Appaloosa) expanded her performance horse training business. The Dal Porto Ranch riding program was designed and developed out of Carol's desire to share these magnificent animals along with the joy that comes from learning to ride.

Award winning students

Her students have won numerous national and world titles and while most are from northern California, she has also taught students from across the United States and Canada. Horse trainers from Germany and Italy have even come to the ranch to study with her. She is also a past president of the Appaloosa Pleasure Horse Association and the Cal-Western Appaloosa Association.

“What a treasure this program has been! I knew to expect something special as this program is well known for quality services, but the might it carries outside of the barn has been life changing in ways I could not have anticipated. Today I have the ability to turn weaknesses into natural strengths. I have developed skill and insights that boost my confidence, self-assurance, fortitude and poise. While these assets certainly provide insurmountable competitive advantages, the real gift is the marvelous tapestry they weave into every area of my life, every day.”